6A COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL October 7, 2015
Chatterbox
The
Everyone Can Ride to Local and Metro Destinations
Making memories as we turn life’s corners
BY BETTY KAISER
For the Sentinel
T
here are certain defi ning moments
in life when you know that you
have “turned a corner.” When you’re
young, those corners are usually exciting.
They are monumental moments that hap-
pily change you forever: Becoming a teen-
ager. Graduations. Celebrating your 21st
birthday. Falling in love. Getting married.
Starting a family. Discovering a career
path that makes the difference between
subsisting and thriving.
As we get a little older and retirement
nears, the corners get a little sharper. For
those of us who loved parenting, the empty
nest experience is a bit of a jolt. We have
questions. What happened to my fi t body?
What’s with all this gray hair that makes
us look like Q-tips? Why am I so tired at
the end of the day? And what in the world
is happening to this current generation?
Retirement age is a different story. IRAs
and 401Ks were not common until the
1990s. That was too late for many of us
to accumulate sizeable chunks of money.
So I think that most of us wondered how
we would ever afford to retire. We thought
we going to have to work until we died!
Nevertheless, one day we turned a corner
and realized that we just couldn’t cut the
nine-to-fi ve job any more. So we fi gured
out how to make the fi nances work.
But after retirement there are more cor-
ners to turn. I learned that from our neigh-
bors, Sallie and Jim. They were already
“elderly” (at least 70 years old!) when
they moved into our California neigh-
borhood, but boy, were they active. They
mowed lawns, painted the house, planted
a garden, drove to Texas to visit family
and volunteered at church.
As the years went by they slowed down
and we started helping them keep things
together. Jim would regularly knock the
lamppost down as he backed out of the
driveway. He often showed up on our
doorstep, head bleeding, after he fell off
a ladder. Sallie’s driving became so erratic
that one day a school bus driver stopped
her, got her name and license and reported
her to the DMV. Both of them had their
driver’s licenses taken away and never
drove again.
One day I stopped to see Sallie after
work. She and Jim were now well into
their eighties. As I walked in the house,
she burst into tears, threw her apron over
her head and said, “Betty, I’ve turned an-
other corner.” Cleaning and cooking their
meals had become too diffi cult for her.
Then both of us cried.
Ever the problem solvers, Chuck and I
put our heads together and decided that we
could bring in meals three times a week
from Kaiser’s Country Diner’s daily spe-
cials. Our neighbors weren’t big eaters
(two dinners was enough for two nights)
and they went out for Sunday supper. One
problem solved. (Later, when we moved, I
signed them up for Meals on Wheels.)
It’s amazing how these past memories
come back since Chuck and I have aged
and started turning unwanted corners.
When we were 50 years old we gutted our
house and rebuilt it ourselves. In our six-
ties, we were still working jobs, planting
gardens and ceaselessly manicuring our
six acres. Now in our seventies, we have
turned some major health issue corners
and have slowed down considerably. To
keep up the property we hire help, but
other corners are not that simple.
I was born with a passion for travel. Our
family’s yearly travels began at Catalina
Island and expanded from there to primi-
tive/RV camping in state and national
parks across the U.S.A. Along the way
we fl ew around the world and checked
off places we had dreamed of visiting. I
thought we would always be able to go
and do. Wrong!
At this age and stage of life we have
turned a sad travel corner—fl ight fatigue.
A fl ight across the United States is still
doable—barely. It all depends on connec-
tions, but if it takes all day…we don’t go.
Any place “across the pond” or beyond is
now defi nitely off the want-to-go list. We
were always going to go back to Johan-
nesburg, South Africa, but a nearly 22-
hour fl ight would do us both in.
Our current travel destinations are a
little closer to home. They are what I call
“do-over’s.” They are places that we’ve
been and want to see again. Having “been-
there-and-done-that,” we are comfortable
returning. Once there, our anxiety level
drops. We know where there are places to
stay, good places to eat and things to do.
Time slows down, we don’t have to rush
around and we can explore nooks and
crannies that we didn’t see before.
541.942.0456
Cottage Grove, OR 97424
www.southlanewheels.org
Congratulations!
Employee
the store. Brown found himself standing
face-to-face with the man who, posing as
a trusted family friend, had been secretly
molesting his daughter for the previous two
years — and he was holding a loaded shot-
gun.
The shotgun was loaded with bird shot.
But from 10 feet away, it scarcely mattered.
The news accounts don’t say if Brown
stayed long enough to help clean up the
mess he left on the fl oor and walls of Nich-
ols’ store — just that he quietly went home
to be with his daughters and to wait for the
sheriff to come arrest him.
Several weeks later, the grand jury met
and — to the surprise of absolutely nobody
of the
Month
Tina Diaz
We just returned from one of those slow-
go places at the foot of Mt. Hood outside
Sandy, Ore. I would guesstimate that we
have stayed there in our RV at least a doz-
en times in the last decade. Every time we
go we fi nd something new to do. We have
ridden our bikes to garage sales, eaten at
the Tollgate Café, talked to the locals, rid-
den the ski lift, shopped till we dropped
and stopped by the Guide Dogs for the
Blind on the way home.
For us, no trip is complete without get-
ting out into the woods. The Wildwood
Cascade Streamwatch Trails are nearby.
It’s a fabulous place to get out in nature
and not break your neck! In addition to
the sound of the rushing river that leads
to outlooks, there are paved paths down to
the river and slightly steeper gravel paths
for the more adventurous. Everywhere
you look, the scenery is fabulous. There
are fi sh for underwater viewing and craft-
ed benches that are works of art along the
way. Signs make sure you don’t get lost.
We love it!
Turning the corners of aging is not al-
ways fun. But “do-overs” are bright spots
in the making memories process. Is there
some place right here in Oregon that
you’re longing to go? You can do it! Find
a way to make it happen!
to our
Employee
of the
Month
Norm
Shires
for the Month of September, 2015
Magnolia Gardens 541-942-0054
1425 Daugherty Ave. • Cottage Grove
Turning 65 and confused
about Medicare choices?
Call Paul to
help simplify
the complicated.
541-517-7362
Paul Henrichs ~ Independent Agent
coverage4oregon@gmail.com
Betty Kaiser’s Chatterbox is about peo-
ple, places, family, and other matters of
the heart. Contact her at 942-1317 or via
e-mail —
bchatty@bettykaiser.com
O FFBEAT
Continued from page 4A
Providing Public, Accessible
Transportation to the Region
Come to the
Humane Society of
Cottage Grove’s
NAME YOUR PRICE
— decided not to indict him. And afterward,
not even the Portland Morning Oregonian
— which by that time was on a virtual cru-
sade against The Unwritten Law — vouch-
safed a single word in disapproval.
That wouldn’t be the case with another
high-profi le Unwritten Law case, though,
which was coming a few months later in
Portland. It would be another case of a jilted
husband gunning for his rival, and it would
fairly defi nitively put the would-be honor
killers of Oregon on notice that they could
no longer expect The Unwritten Law to pro-
tect them. We’ll be fi nishing up this series
of columns on the Unwritten Law with that
story, next week.
(Sources: Portland Morning Oregonian
archives: Mar. 18 and May 4, 1908; Jan. 30,
Mar. 10, 15, 16 and 18, 1909)
Finn J.D. John teaches at Oregon State
University and writes about odd tidbits of
Oregon history. For details, see http://fi nn-
john.com. To contact him or suggest a top-
ic: fi nn2@offbeatoregon.com or 541-357-
2222.
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American Legion Hall
826 W. Main
Cottage Grove, OR
10:00 a.m. to 4 p.m.
since 1889
W orship D irectory
6th & Gibbs Church of Christ
195 N. 6th St. • 541-942-3822
Pastor: Aaron Earlywine
Youth & Families Pastor: Seth Bailey
Services: 9am and 10:30am
Christian Education
Nursery for pre-k - 3rd Grade
www.6thandgibbs.com
Calvary Baptist Church
77873 S 6th St • 541-942-4290
Pastor: Riley Hendricks
Sunday School: 9:45am
Worship: 11:00am
The Journey: Sunday 5:00pm
Praying Thru Life: Wednesday 6:00pm
Calvary Chapel Cottage Grove
1447 Hwy 99 (Village Plaza)
541-942-6842
Pastor: Jeff Smith
Two Services on Sun: 9am & 10:45am
Wednesday Service 6:45 pm
Child Care 10:45am Service Only
Youth Group Bible Study:
Wed. 6:45 pm & Sat. 6 pm
www.cgcalvary.org
Cottage Grove Bible Church
1200 East Quincy Avenue
541-942-4771
Pastor:Bob Singer
Worship 8:30am, 11am
Sunday School:9:45am
YouthGroup Mondays 6:30pm
AWANA age 3-8th Grade,
Wednesdays Sept-May, 6:30pm
www.cgbible.org
Cottage Grove Faith Center
33761 Row River Rd. • 541-942-4851
Lead Pastor: Isaac Hovet
www.cg4.tv
2 Sunday Services: 9am & 11am
Full Childrenʼs Ministry available
Covered Bridge Nazarene Church
152 S. M St.
541-942-4422
Pastor: Cindy Slaymaker
Sunday School: 9:30am
Worship 10:30am
Delight Valley
Church of Christ
Center for Spiritual Living Cottage 33087 Saginaw Rd. East
541-942-7711
Grove
Pastor: Bob Friend
700 Gibbs Ave (Community Center)
Two Services:
Rev. Bobby Lee
Meets Sunday 3:00 p.m.
9am - Classic in the Chapel
10:30am - Contemporary in the
Info: 541-767-0182 (Mrs. “T”)
Auditorium
Church of Christ
First Baptist Church
420 Monroe St • 541-942-8565
301 S 6th St 541-942-8242
Sunday Service: 10:30am
Pastor: Steve Johnson
Sunday School: 9:30am
Worship: 11:00am
Come Worship with us
First Presbyterian Church
3rd and Adams St • 541-942-4479
Pastor: Rev. Bruce Cameron
Worship: 10:00am
Sunday School: 10:00am
www.cgpresbynews.com
Old Time Gospel Fellowship
103 S. 5th Street • 541-942-4999
Pastor: Herb Carson
Sunday Service: 10:00am
Sunday Bible Study: 6:00pm
We sing the old time hymns.
Grove Community Church
77820 Mosby Creek Rd.
Cottage Grove, OR 97424
541-942-0123
Pastor: Bryan Parsons
Worship: 10:30 a.m.
Nursery: Infant - Pre-K
Kidʼs Church: K to 5th grade
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
and St. Philip Benizi
Catholic Churches
1025 N. 19th St.
541-942-3420 / 541-942-4712
Pastor: Roy L. Antunez, S.J.
Euch. Liturgies; Sat. 5:30pm
Sun. 10:30am
St. Philip Benizi, Creswell:
552 Holbrock Lane • 541-895-8686
Sunday: 8:30am
Hope Fellowship
United Pentecostal Church
100 S. Gateway Blvd. • 541-942-2061
Pastor: Dave Bragg
Worship: 11:00am Sunday
Bible Study: 7:00pm Wednesday
www.hopefellowshipupc.com
“FINDING HOPE IN YOUR LIFE”
Living Faith Assembly
467 S. 10th St. • 541-942-2612
Pastor Rulon Combs
Sunday School All Ages 9am
Worship & Childrenʼs
Church 10:30 am
“The Bridge” Sat Evening Service 6:00pm
Youth 180 Mondays 5:30-8pm
Childrenʼs Breakout Class: Wed. 6:30pm
Non-Denominational
Church of Christ
1041 Pennoyer Ave * 541-767-0447
Preachers: Tony Martin & Robert Evans
Sunday Bible Study:10:00am
Sunday Worship:10:50am & 5:30pm
www.pennoyeravecoc.com
St. Andrews Episcopal Church
1301 W. Main • 541-767-9050
Rev. Lawrence Crumb
“Church with the fl ags.”
Worship: Sunday 10:30am
All Welcome
Seventh-day Adventist Church
820 South 10th Street
541-942-5213
Pastor: Kevin Miller
Bible Study: Saturday, 9:15 am
Worship Service: Saturday, 10:40 am
Mid-week Service: Wednesday, 1:00 pm
Trinity Lutheran Church
6th & Quincy • 541-942-2373
Pastor: James L. Markus
Sunday School & Adult Education 9:15am
Sundway Worship 10:30 am
Comm. Kitchen Free Meal Tue & Thur
5:00pm TLC Groups
trinitylutherancottagegrove.com
United Methodist Church
334 Washington • 541-942-3033
Pastor:Lura Kidner-Miesen
Worship: 10:30am
Adult Sunday School: 9:30am
Comm. Dinner (Adults $5, Kids Free)
2nd & 3rd Monday 5-6:00pm
cottagegroveumc.org
“VICTORY” Country Church
913 S. 6th Street • 541-942-5913
Pastor: Barbara Dockery
Worship Service: 10:00am
Message:
11:00am
“WE BELIEVE IN MIRACLES”
Our Worship
Directory is a
weekly feature in
the newspaper. If
your congregation
would like to
be a part of this
directory, please
contact the
Cottage Grove
Sentinel
at 541-942-3325.